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[show]Construction sites are unpredictable and one of the most dangerous places to work in the USA. We explore some common hazards, and ways to prevent them.
What are the significant safety hazards on a jobsite?
Construction sites are unpredictable and one of the USA's most dangerous places to work. Thousands of injuries occur in construction zones yearly, many of which could have been avoided.
Per the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were 1,102 fatal injuries in the construction industry in 2019. That figure represents 20% of total workplace fatalities in the United States - a highly disproportionate figure given that roughly 6% of the US labor force works in construction.
Below, we list the ten significant hazards on construction job sites and ways to mitigate them.
Working From Height
Falls from high places such as scaffolding, rooftops, or ladders are the most common accidents at US jobsites. Almost 35% of all injuries on construction sites result from falls from height.
Unfortunately, the requirement to work from heights is not something companies can prevent, so the best form of mitigation is to make it as safe as possible.
Mitigations can include ensuring all access routes are clear, plenty of room to work and maneuver, and that all staff has had safety training.
Falling Debris
Any construction material, tools, scaffolding, or other supplies that fall from height can do severe damage if they land on a worker.
Mitigating this risk relies on all contractors taking care of their working space, ensuring items are not left unattended, and they are fully aware of their surroundings.
Electrocution
Electrocution is one of the construction industry's 'fatal four' causes of death on site. Cabling can be left exposed throughout the construction phase, creating a severe hazard.
Mitigating electricity accidents requires site managers to regularly communicate any hazards and provide regular training to their workforce if needed to work near electricity.
Slips, Trips, and Falls
The layout of a construction site changes from minute to minute, with materials, tools, and debris left laying around for someone to trip over.
With a combination of holes in the ground, buildings at various stages of completion, scaffolding, stored materials, and equipment: the threat of falls, trips, and slips are a constant danger. It requires construction workers to be continually vigilant.
Empowering your team through regular training and communication to recognize and report hazards is critical to mitigating their threat.
Machinery Accidents
Construction workers are regularly required to handle and operate machinery such as jackhammers, cranes, bulldozers, or even smaller power tools like nail guns and drills.
In untrained hands, all of these pose a threat to safety and can cause serious injury.
Ensuring that machinery is only operated by well-trained and experienced staff will help limit the number of accidents.
Caught Between Objects
The continually moving world of a construction site can present severe risks of workers becoming trapped between walls and materials, causing significant injury.
Clear communication is one of the key ways to prevent this, but our next highlighted risk can often hamper this.
Noise
Noise on-site presents a dual-threat. Continually loud reverberating sound can have a long-lasting impact on workers' hearing, preventing communication across sites. This can create distractions of miscommunications that result in accidents and injuries.
Mitigating this is a significant challenge as it is part-and-parcel of a construction project, so having daily debriefing and promoting effective communication is vital to ensure workforce safety.
Trench or ground collapses
Trenches and other excavations are often necessary as part of a building project, but they can cause the soil to become unstable and lead to a collapse that traps workers.
Taking the necessary precautions at the outset of your projects and regularly checking the integrity of trenches will help limit the occurrence of collapse.
Moving Objects/Vehicles
Injuries involving vehicles are prevalent on highway projects, where a careless (or reckless) driver trikes a construction worker.
However, this type of injury can occur on a typical construction site, too, as vehicles are often maneuvering in areas of limited space, visibility, and uneven terrain.
Exhaustion
Construction crews often work long hours and are exposed to extreme heat and humidity elements. As a result, injuries from dehydration, fainting, or even strokes are not uncommon.
Why choose WCCTV for your Construction Site Safety and Security
We're the USA's leading supplier of managed surveillance cameras for construction job site security.
Our health and safety experience comes from managing a team of engineers who service or install equipment on job sites every day. We pride ourselves on our safety record and practices.
Our mobile surveillance cameras enhance construction sites' security and provide site managers with a remote project management tool that can help improve safety in real-time and by retrospective review.
Ready to find out how Mobile Surveillance Cameras & Solar Trailers can assist with site security? Get in touch today at 877 805 9475 or request a call back
Daniel del Soldato
Head of Communications
Daniel has been at WCCTV for over 10 years and has accumulated a vast wealth of knowledge of mobile surveillance products and the way they operate. In his spare time, Daniel likes to listen to music, watch football, and spend quality time with his family.
